


Tell me the Truth

by Joshanddonna



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Light Smut, Season 3 episode 6: War Crimes, angsty confession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 16:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19772038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joshanddonna/pseuds/Joshanddonna
Summary: Josh wants to know why Donna lied about the diary.





	Tell me the Truth

Josh sat with Donna, his hand drawing circles on her back in hopes that it would calm her down. It was a small gesture, but it was the only thing he felt like he could do for her. For a split second, Josh tried to grapple with the fact that he was risking his job, yet all he cared about was Donna being afraid. He couldn’t allow himself to sit with that thought, because it would require him to face some hard truths that he just wasn’t ready for. Instead, he focused on the task at hand: comfort Donna until Cliff finished reading her diary. 

After sitting in silence for a long while, Donna turned to him with a serious look in her eye. “Be honest. Could you get in trouble for this? If someone found out?” Josh immediately began to shake his head in an attempt to brush it off. “Donna, stop. No.” He technically wasn’t lying. He wouldn’t get in trouble, he would get fired. “Don’t lie to me Josh. I did a stupid thing. I’m not stupid.” She knew him too well. She knew when he wasn’t telling the truth. “It’s not your concern. We’re just gonna get this over with and move on. I told you it’s gonna be fine.” He couldn’t look her in the eye. She would know the truth, and he knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if he knew the truth. It was ironic and incredibly romantic really, how desperately they both tried to protect each other regardless of who created the mess they were in. Protecting each other was second nature to them. 

Donna knew it wasn’t adding up. She also knew he wouldn’t answer her, so she settled for the next thing on her mind. “I’m sorry, Josh.” Her eyes were pleading for forgiveness before Josh could even respond. It broke his heart. She shouldn’t have to be sorry. She shouldn’t have to be scared. “Don’t be sorry.” He looked at her for a bit longer than he intended to, for more time than they usually allowed each other to look. Donna, sensing the potential in this moment, was the first to break eye contact. Josh released his arm from behind her back and clasped his hands together. “If it comes down to it and you get into any trouble, I want you to fire me. I’m not letting you go down because of me.” Josh could barely hear her as she said it, because she was looking away and holding her hand over her mouth, trying not to cry. Josh took her free hand in his and wove his fingers in between hers. “Nobody is going anywhere. I won’t allow it.” He told her, praying that he was right.  
“Okay.” She felt assured, for now. 

Josh leapt from the bench when he saw Cliff approaching. He didn’t know why he was so desperate to stop him in his tracks, probably to keep him as far away as possible from Donna. “Everything okay?” He asked.  
“Yeah. I’m just gonna talk to Donna for a minute.”  
Josh stepped sideways and stopped Cliff with a hand to the chest. “No, you’re not.”  
Donna could see the interaction from where she was sitting. She was embarrassed that Josh had to protect her like this, but she had to admit she was relieved. She had no desire to talk to Cliff. He humiliated her, he made her feel stupid, and worst of all, he put her in a terrible position with Josh.  
Cliff put his hands up and surrendered. He handed Josh the diary. “Okay. Josh, I just hope you two figure it out. I really wish you the best.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Josh asked incredulously.  
“She didn’t conceal the diary to protect herself, Josh. And sure as hell not me. Think about it.” Cliff turned to leave, letting Josh sit with that thought.  
Gathering himself, Josh walked back to Donna. She stood up and walked towards him, unable to stay seated any longer. “So?” Donna asked nervously. “It’s fine, I told you there was nothing to worry about.”  
“Oh thank god” Donna threw her arms around Josh, embracing him to express her relief and her gratitude for what he had done for her. “Thank you”, she whispered against his neck.  
“Of course. Wanna come over for a bit? Have some hot chocolate and warm up?”  
She let go from their hug and smiled at him, “you know me well.”  
He offered her his elbow and she hooked her arms through his. They walked like this to his apartment as they caught each other up on the day they weren’t talking. 

When they reached his apartment, Donna went straight for the hot chocolate as Josh went into his room to grab blankets for the two of them. They sat on the couch and laughed at Sam’s obsession with getting rid of the penny and at any other nonsense that happened in the White House over the last few days. Josh fought the urge to ask the question he had been thinking about all night. He was having an internal battle with himself, on one front trying to avoid ruining a perfectly good moment, and on another wanting know what Cliff was talking about. He inevitably lost the battle with himself. In a short moment of silence, Josh found his window “Donna, what was in the diary?”  
“Josh, I told you, it was nothing.” She looked down at her mug.  
“Cliff said.... Cliff said you might be trying to protect me.”  
“Cliff is a Republican, they’re liars.” She tried to joke her way out of it.”  
“Just tell me the truth, Donna.” He remained completely serious.  
“You know what? No. I think I have had enough people invading my privacy tonight. I’m gonna get a cab.” She stood up, heading for the door.  
“I need to know if it’s about me, Donna.”  
“Why? So I don’t take down the administration? So I don’t embarrass you and ruin your reputation? It’s fine, Josh. You said it yourself, everything is fine. Your secrets are safe with me.” She now stood in front of him, arms crossed and rolling her eyes at what she thought was Josh being paranoid.  
“No, that’s not why. Stop accusing me of stuff I didn’t even say!”  
“What reason could you possibly have to need to know what was in my diary?”  
Josh stared at her blankly, failing to give her the answer they both wanted.  
“That’s what I thought. I’m leaving.”  
“Damnit Donna.” He rubbed his face in his hands and through his already messy hair.  
“Am I bothering you?” Donna was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that she said she was leaving, yet she hadn’t moved from the spot where she first stood up. She was trying to stand her ground, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave him.  
“No, you’re not bothering me. Stop being so dramatic.” He was getting annoyed.  
She shot him a look that told him he had crossed the line, and his expression immediately softened.  
“Okay, goodnight Josh.”  
His face buried in his hands, he muttered his answer. “Because I’m in love with you.”  
Donna stopped in her tracks just before she reached the door and slowly turned to face him again. He could not have possibly said what she thought he did. “What did you just say?”  
“Because I’m in love with you!” He practically shouted. “Because since the day we met, I haven’t stopped thinking about you. I think about what it would be like if we met under different circumstances, if you weren’t my assistant and it wouldn’t break 1000 rules for us to be together. Because I have spent every single day wondering if there was any chance that you felt the same way. I need to know if there is the slightest chance that I could actually be that lucky.”  
They stood in the middle of Josh’s apartment, staring at each other in disbelief. Donna took a step closer to him. “Josh,” she said, barely above a whisper. She nodded at him lightly to confirm that his feelings were in fact, completely mutual. He grabbed her by the waist and pressed her against the door, kissing her with urgency. He kissed her like she was the oxygen he needed to breathe, and it was running out. Josh worked his hands up from her waist, up to her neck. He was trying to savor every inch of her. Donna pulled his shirt out from his pants and ran her hands up his surprisingly muscular back. The feel of Donna’s hands running down his back sent a shiver down Josh’s spine and drove him wild. He knew that Donna was incredibly sexy and fierce, but nothing could have prepared him for this experience. In response, he devoured her neck and made his way down to the collar of her shirt. In response, Donna decided to help him out and undo the buttons for easier access.  
“Not here.” Josh managed, in between heavy breaths. He took her hand and led her to his bedroom, where he must have imagined this very scenario thousands of times. He touched every inch of her and savored every moment, trying to convince himself it wasn’t a dream. He undid the rest of the buttons on her shirt without taking his mouth off of hers. Donna pulled Josh close to her, making it clear that she wanted as little space as possible between them. Josh reluctantly broke the kiss to take his shirt off, so he could feel her skin against his. By the time they reached Josh’s bed, they had successfully gotten rid of all of their clothes. He laid to her side, one hand propping up his head, the other cupping her cheek as he kissed her gently. He made his way from her lips, to her neck, and down her stomach. His lips brushed softly up her inner thigh, taking breaks to grin up at her. He was delighted with her frustration at his teasing. He removed the last item of clothing she had on to reach his final destination. Donna gasped at the contact. Josh responded to her body and tended to her every need until she reached her breaking point. When he returned to her mouth, he smiled in between kisses at her look of pure satisfaction mixed with exhaustion.

Donna, normally timid in sexual situations, found a new confidence with someone who she truly loved and who valued her needs as much as her own. “Josh, I want you.” She whispered in his ear, grabbing him lightly to guide him inside of her. “Donna”, he groaned, he pushed himself deeper. He continued slowly and passionately, looking into her eyes as they crossed further into a threshold that would change their relationship forever. He was taken by how incredibly beautiful she was, lit only by the light of his small bedside lamp, sweat dripping down her breasts. She moaned his name as he quickened his pace, and Josh thought about how of all the times she had said his name, that was his favorite. 

Donns watched Josh looking at her. She saw a man who was focused on her and her pleasure. She saw a man who loved every inch of her and showed it. Donna never needed a man to make her feel beautiful, but the way Josh seemed to worship her was on a different level than that. Their connection was other-worldly, their bodies so in sync after years of dancing around this moment. Josh watched as Donna fell apart, surrendering to the overwhelming sensation in her body. Watching Donna was enough to push Josh over the edge, leading him to collapse on top of her, burying his face in her neck. 

Josh looked up from his quiet hiding spot to look Donna in the eye. Neither Josh nor Donna had ever been great at words. They were both highly intelligent when it came to politics and policy, but when it came to their personal feelings for one another, they both fell short time and time again. With a tacit understanding of this fact, they sat looking at each other, unbothered by the silence. Often the silences when they caught each other staring were awkward, and one of them usually looked away, desperate to find something else to pay attention to. This time, they didn’t have to look away. They gazed into each other’s eyes, saying everything they needed to say without using words at all. Josh and Donna had connected on another level where words were no longer necessary. Sometime soon they would need them, but not in that moment. That moment was about two people who had always been one in their hearts and minds.


End file.
